I’d accept these for sure if it didn’t take resources away from firefighting: for example, if the city ADDED a specialized “engine” that was equipped with 2-4 drones and these guys were deployed to any fire that was 3 story or higher in ADDITION to all typical units.
Great. Always nice to have more tools in the tool belt, I just don’t see this replacing a normal compliment.
I don't think these are meant to replace anything but to simply be an additional tool.
I fully agree.
I mean I see no reason why these couldn't be added to all trucks.
I suppose they could be, but it would require your municipality to grow your response by one unit per apartment/highrise fire, otherwise you’d end up with one of your expected units piloting drones instead of being utilized as manpower.
but it would require your municipality to grow your response by one unit per apartment/highrise fire, otherwise you’d end up with one of your expected units piloting drones instead of being utilized as manpower.
Sorry it may be because I'm tired but I'm not sure I fully grasp what you mean.
If I’m first due and incident command, my engine guys are pump and confinement, then I have 3 more 4 person units to play with:
1 will be attack
1 will have to be RIT
1 for search or a second attack team.
If you decide to task one unit to “drones”, you will lose a manpower unit. Do you understand now? I’m not saying it can’t be done, I’m saying you need an additional team to be deployed or else you will be taking resources away from firefighting ops.
It'd probably be like an USAR truck, you simply wouldn't dispatch them unless you actually needed that vehicle.
Wouldn't make sense for smaller fires like 2-3 story residential units where only a few units show up but large high rise fires typically result in a proportionally larger response too, meaning more manpower to spare.
Either you add a new unit, with new personnel to man your new drone unit, or you take people/resources away from what is already established in order to run the drones
But wouldn't you just use this when you would have needed to up on the ladder with a hose anyway or something similar ? The drone could just in a box on top of the truck and you just open it, attach the hose and it's ready to go.
In the set up you describe, you are removing a conventional unit in order to run the drones which is what the guy was saying would be dumb, presumably because he doesn’t feel the drones should replace anything conventional, but possibly could be a good addition. But only if it’s an addition
I wouldn't necessarily say it's removing a conventional unit just altering how a specific task is done. It only takes one person to operate each drone, everything else on the truck can be the same.
It's the exact same thing in my eyes but I'm not a firefighter so I'm not gonna act like I know what I'm talking about
Construction in China is all concrete. When you buy an apartment there you have to go in and install all the plumbing and electrical yourself. Sister lived in Hong Kong and their units carry concrete drills and piercing nozzles since the fire is usually contained within the unit of origin. Yeah the drones are just a pr stunt.
Fires spreading between units from outside cladding or other accessories is a known phenomenon though, see the grenfell fires in the UK. Having the capability to slow or stop that progress could be useful in those scenarios.
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u/bigronnigans 13d ago
All well and good for a high rise facade fire. Still no good for compartment fires.